Could Jesús Luzardo light the way?

Baseball Trade Values shows Duran, Houck, and Yorke as a slight overpay for the Sox. Or, substitute Winck and Valdez for Houck if you prefer. These may be rose-colored glasses talking, but I think you could cobble together an appealing package of ML ready (or close) pieces that are now somewhat redundant, without touching the system's Big Three.

I just want some Jesus Lizard references in gameday threads...doesn't seem like too much to ask.

I pretty much agree with everything RedSoxChamps is saying, Luzardo would be great if the package is something like Duran, Houck and Yorke, I'd probably toss in an extra guy in the 5-10 range and another in the 11-20 range to be honest too. The system is accumulating depth so I think it'd be fine, I doubt Miami bites on a pu-pu platter of solid players though. Don't see it happening without a top 3 prospect going back.

I'm also with them on the idea that I'd rather just sign someone in FA and keep the farm and ML depth intact. I really don't see Luzardo and his 3 years of control really fitting in with the window we are looking at for the next great Sox team as I think this year we're probably looking at a down year, maybe a WC run. Then depending on who is left in the farm that didn't go in theoretical Luzardo deal is going to need at least a year to really get up to speed of the ML ballgame. Long story short, I don't find this offseason to be the offseason to push the type of chips in to acquire a guy like Luzardo with only 3 years left of control.

Agree with this.  Luzardo will cost Mayer or Anthony and then some.  A deal like that is a "put you over the top deal", and they're not there at the moment and not sure what they're going to be over the next three seasons.

Thanks, I'm well aware it's not real life...more a conversation starter than anything.




I agree with this as well. By the time our window really opens, Mayer, Anthony, and Teel will likely all be in the majors playing key roles. I'm not really interested in touching those three guys at this point. Luzardo would be cool, but just give me Montgomery or even Snell, I guess. 

I see where you are going with this and it makes sense but I'm not sure I agree completely.  Do love Luzardo and would love to get him.  Also agree that it would take one of the big 3 plus to make it happen.  If I was Miami I wouldn't move him for less than that.  However I am not sure I agree Sox are deep at SS.  Story has never been able to stay healthy since being acquired.  He is now and hopefully will be but based on past performance I don't think you can count on it for even a full season much less the next few seasons.  Add to that, other than defensively, he hasn't exactly performed all that well.  I know the defense is outstanding and the most important thing.

Of the players you mention I believe the only one with a true defensive SS profile is Zanetello and he is way to early in his career to count on.  Cespedes and Anderson look to have more of a 3B profile and Romero/Paulino 2B.

Mayer had a down year last year (injured) but is still a blue chip until he proves otherwise.  If he develops he will be far more valuable than Luzardo, not taking anything away from how good he is.  Add that Burnes, Buehler and Fried are all FA's next year and possibly Sasaki available and it just seems to be that it would be wise to hold on to the 3 and see where the Sox are in July.

I can't be mad at Buddha's take, but here is the issue I have with the idea that the Red Sox won't go all in in the future.

Giving a pitcher $220-$300M makes a lot more sense when you are a player or two away and ready to take that final step. With a couple moves this year, either now or at the deadline, we could be there next spring.

Jesus Luzardo bWAR by season:
2019: 0.6
2020: 0.8 (annualized to 2.2)
2021: -1.5
2022: 2.0
2023: 4.1

He has started more than 20 games in a season once. He was very good last year, and outside of injuries (which would be my primary concern), was very good in 2022 as well. Is a pitcher with this many question marks worth one of the Sox top three prospects + when we do not even know yet if we will be truly competitive over his three years of control? I think I want to see the next wave of prospects actually show some promise at the highest level and finish better than last (the front office investing some FA $$ to increase the talent level of the roster would be nice as well) before we start pushing chips into the middle of the table by trading for players with major questions marks.